More skilled workers providing appropriate care

Older people in Australia need a skilled, diverse and valued workforce to provide safe and high-quality care.

The Australian Government is working to build, train and support the aged care workforce to meet these needs and expectations.

What we’re doing

Our initiatives respond to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommendations, including:

• helping aged care providers to recruit workers

• increasing training and professional development opportunities

• putting a national code of conduct and registration in place

• enabling scholarships and incentives for registered nurses.

The aged care workforce is fundamental to delivering care where and when it is needed.

How we’re building the workforce

• Funding a 15% pay increase to award wages for workers that reflects the true value of their work.
• More opportunities for training at TAFEs and universities.
• A free, independent service for aged care providers to help them manage their workforce.

Increasing the number of home care workers

Most people want to stay in their homes for as long as possible.

We are helping aged care providers to recruit and train new personal care workers to care for older people at home. Expanding career opportunities nationally will increase home care in all locations, including in regional, rural and remote communities.

Putting more nurses into aged care homes

More nurses in residential aged care homes means more clinical care for residents. From July 2023, residential aged care homes need to have a registered nurse on-site and on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

From October 2023, residential aged care homes need to deliver an average 200 minutes of care per day for residents, including 40 minutes with a registered nurse.

And from October 2024, this requirement will increase to an average 215 minutes of care per day for residents, including 44 minutes with a registered nurse.

We will attract and retain aged care nurses and personal care workers by encouraging career pathways through education opportunities, a nurses’ bonus and funding an increase in wages.

Boosting aged care worker skills

We are boosting the skills of aged care workers through training programs, scholarships, mentoring of new nurses and supporting clinical placements.

Workers will be better skilled in areas such as dementia and palliative care, managing wounds, preventing falls, infection prevention and control, and supporting mental health and wellbeing of older people.

Bringing skilled workers from overseas

Recruiting and retaining Australian workers is the first priority. However, migration can also help address workforce shortages.

We are streamlining the recruitment of qualified direct care workers from overseas to work in aged care.

We are providing Pacific and Timor-Leste workers aged care roles in regional, rural and remote locations across Australia.

Find out more about the aged care workforce on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.